ANRT

ANRT was the Atelier national de recherche typographique, based in Nancy, France.

The ANRT in Nancy, France, was the continuation of the ANCT (Atelier national de création typographique/ National Workshop for Type Design) founded in 1985 by the French government in collaboration with the Imprimerie Nationale (National Printing Office). From 1989 onwards, the school was headed by Swiss typographer Peter Keller; under his direction, its focus was shifted from a studio-like structure to a research-oriented project-based approach. In 1999, the ANRT was moved from Paris to Nancy.

In a brochure from 2001 the ANRT described its approach as follows: “The Institute invites students to project themselves towards the future, to keep an open eye on the demands of the creative and industrial world. Experimental research should therefore be closely linked to the constraints of economic reality, while integrating the constantly changing cultural and technical factors. The program offers students the possibility of completing research in the area of their choice. Close ties and frequent contacts with respected designers and specialists in the field underline the openness of the Institute and its close links with the professional world.”